A method for the hermetic encapsulation of a component is known, for example, from International Patent Publication No. WO 99/43084. There, components, in particular surface acoustic wave devices, are applied, using the flip chip technique, on a carrier that is provided with solderable terminal surfaces. The component is soldered on the carrier over bumps (solder balls), with a clearance from the carrier element, in such a way that the surface having the component structures is oriented towards the carrier.
For hermetic encapsulation of the components situated on the carrier, the components are finally covered and glued or laminated from the rear with a metal foil or a metal-coated plastic film on the carrier. Here, the film seals tightly between the components and seals tightly with the carrier around them, so that a hermetic encapsulation for the component structures results.
It has also been proposed to further stabilize and further hermetically seal the encapsulation by pressure application of, for example, a thermoplastic material, or through casting, for example with epoxy resin. Subsequently, the components can be separated by dividing the carrier plate.
It has turned out that the use of a metal foil, as well as the use of a metal-coated plastic film, for direct application on the rear side of a component involves problems, and can result in components whose hermetic sealing is not satisfactory. In addition, problems occur during the lamination process, because, in particular in the case of surface acoustic wave devices, the components have sharp edges, so that high demands are made both on the film and also on the laminating process for the manufacture of a hermetically sealed encapsulation. In particular, up to now it has been possible to carry out the method only by using thick and expensive special films.